No Zoa Growth

[Reef.Blue]

I have a large island in my tank filled with about 15 different zoa frags, but none of them have grown. I have had 3 of those frags since June, and they have not grown any new polyps. They all look great, but I am seeing no growth. Parameters are perfect, and I adjusted to light so they are receiving the correct amount. I can attach my light settings if anyone thinks it might be an issue. Any ideas on what could be happening?

 

[blecki]

How perfect is 'perfect'?

What is the nitrate?

Also, if you're doing ICP tests - look at iodine. Is it low?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

corals not growing could be because of lighting, flow, or nutrients, so we need the info on these 3 to offer any suggestions please

 

[Reef.Blue]

How perfect is 'perfect'?

What is the nitrate?

Also, if you're doing ICP tests - look at iodine. Is it low?

My nitrates are at 8ppm right now. I haven’t done an icp test yet. But if my iodine was low, would it just slow growth or kill the zoas?

 

[Reef.Blue]

corals not growing could be because of lighting, flow, or nutrients, so we need the info on these 3 to offer any suggestions please

I have a Nero that blows right over the Zoas so they get low flow, but not none. I attached my lighting under. Phosphates are at 0.1 ppm and nitrates at 8ppm

 

[blecki]

Slow and eventually kill. They require iodine. Normally it's not an issue but it's worth checking specifically for zoas since they seem to use a lot of it.

My nitrates and phosphates are both higher and my lights are stronger, and my tank has several large zoa colonies. I have to dose iodine to keep it in the normal range on the ICP test. (Large here means multiple square feet, not just, like a few dozen polyps)

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I have a Nero that blows right over the Zoas so they get low flow, but not none. I attached my lighting under. Phosphates are at 0.1 ppm and nitrates at 8ppm

thanks! this is an AI Prime? What size is the tank, or how deep is it? Just looking to cross lighting off the list....

 

[Reef.Blue]

thanks! this is an AI Prime? What size is the tank, or how deep is it? Just looking to cross lighting off the list....

I am running 3 ai primes on a 100g of tank with the dimensions of 48x24x20

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I am running 3 ai primes on a 100g of tank with the dimensions of 48x24x20

I would suggest to rent a par meter from your local fish store, I'm thinking I'm leaning towards lower lighting.

 

[Kodski]

IMO/IME Zoa's will grow within pretty much any parameters. I threw a few polyps into a 100g Rubbermaid bin for about 8 months while I upgraded tanks. Didn't have a light for 3 of those months, didn't dose, check par, flow, or any parameter. Never saw a water change either, the only thing I did was feed the fish. Those couple polyps grew into full size colonies with well over 100 polyps, just by me forgetting about them.

I do however, find that zoas take a little while to settle in before they really take off. When I add zoa's it seems like they don't do much for about 4-6 months and then suddenly they just take off one day. So my advice is to not change too much in search of growth. It WILL happen, even if your parameters aren't perfect.

The only actual suggestion other than wait a while I can offer, is to check your magnesium. It seems many people overlook it but many coals seem to slow in growth with lower magnesium levels. It might be worth a look for you.

Edit: Photo proof of one colony that went from about 5 polyps to an uncountable amount. The zoas in the lower right of the photo are the ones I'm talking about. that is a top down of a seperate rock and the photo doesn't even capture the entire rock.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

If you are not dosing anything, you can try All For Reef for a few months to see if there is any improvement. Manual dosing is an option as long as you can stick to a schedule. Jaboe Has dosing pumps cheap on amazon, and get the powder AFR. If this is better suited to your schedule.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

PAR meter is a must. They may be getting just the amount needed to survive. Zoas stretch for the light, do you have a pic of them

 

[Reef.Blue]

PAR meter is a must. They may be getting just the amount needed to survive. Zoas stretch for the light, do you have a pic of them

I noticed they were stretching for light, I turned the lights a little bit, but they still seem like they are stretching a tiny bit. The problem is I have a lot of torch’s at the top of the tank, close to the surface of the water, and don’t want to put too much light on them

 

[Seansea]

Bet your low on iodine. Mine were not doing anything and did an icp test. Iodine was low do to my algae scrubber so started dosing AFR and isol mt in top off and now they grow like crazy. We'll all except my pink lemonades which always die on me

 

[Kodski]

I noticed they were stretching for light, I turned the lights a little bit, but they still seem like they are stretching a tiny bit. The problem is I have a lot of torch’s at the top of the tank, close to the surface of the water, and don’t want to put too much light on them

Increase slowly if you do. 5% per week is a good rule of thumb. If you notice corals really reacting poorly, go back. Torches can handle light though, mine are around 200-230 par and many keep theirs higher yet.

 

[Uncle99]

Some grow fast, some slow, not all growth rates the same.

 

[littlebigreef]

A few thoughts.

First, how old is your aquarium? Parameters look good however, zoas will always do better in mature systems. You have torches so guessing it’s not recently cycled.

Secondly, zoas like nutrition, people have long misconstrued that to mean ‘they like dirty water.’ However, nutrients are an indirect measurement of the amount of nutrition in and it doesn’t account of the efficiency of your nutrient export. For example, you can be putting in a cup of food a day and skimming super aggressively, or 2 cubes a week with light skimmer and still land within the same parameters.

I feed heavily with reef roids, brine, mysis, phyto. I also clean the skimmer every other day.

Finally, not all zoas are created equal and different strains have varying tolerances for light and water parameters. Upon fragging most zoas will enter a ‘stall,’ which you seem to be experiencing. Some varieties bounce back immediately while others need several months to really get going again. I’ve found nutrition to be the #1 catalyst to get them out of a stall and growing again. Additionally, people generally grossly overestimate the amount of par they need. Many do fine in 80-120par. My trough maxes out at 150 -

 

[Reef.Blue]

Some grow fast, some slow, not all growth rates the same.

I have a few that are slow growers, but others that are fast growers and still seeing no growth

 

[Reef.Blue]

A few thoughts.

First, how old is your aquarium? Parameters look good however, zoas will always do better in mature systems. You have torches so guessing it’s not recently cycled.

Secondly, zoas like nutrition, people have long misconstrued that to mean ‘they like dirty water.’ However, nutrients are an indirect measurement of the amount of nutrition in and it doesn’t account of the efficiency of your nutrient export. For example, you can be putting in a cup of food a day and skimming super aggressively, or 2 cubes a week with light skimmer and still land within the same parameters.

I feed heavily with reef roids, brine, mysis, phyto. I also clean the skimmer every other day.

Finally, not all zoas are created equal and different strains have varying tolerances for light and water parameters. Upon fragging most zoas will enter a ‘stall,’ which you seem to be experiencing. Some varieties bounce back immediately while others need several months to really get going again. I’ve found nutrition to be the #1 catalyst to get them out of a stall and growing again. Additionally, people generally grossly overestimate the amount of par they need. Many do fine in 80-120par. My trough maxes out at 150 -

My tank is 7 months old. I feed them ab+ 1 time a week and mysis 2x per week.

 

[Uncle99]

My tank is 7 months old. I feed them ab+ 1 time a week and mysis 2x per week.

They consume Mysis?
Only my palys do that